Stevo we are all disappointed in Marshall's actions however this is a quote from their manager: "I thought we were battering them at 11 versus 11. They showed no interest in going forward in the second half and were camped behind the ball. The question was in the second half could we get the goal that our momentum deserved? You think it's not going to be our day. Perhaps our captain is frustrated with the game plan? However being sent off twice in a handful of games is not good enough perhaps its time for a "clear the air chat" whatever the reason its obvious that a once model professional admired by players and supporters alike is having a bad time, personally or professionally I hope this club demonstrates a caring attitude towards him, its time for the management team to earn their corn? As for the team tactics in the second half we didn't even have a go at them, once again. no pace, no passion, = No points. Its going to be a hard season guys unfortunately
Always hard on a team when someone cocks up. I'm sure it was a lapse be Marshall and that he didn't set out to be sent off. Limits what a manager can do when you are down to 10. We pulled it back after all so must have been doing something right, then an OG. I suppose the argument could be that we shouldn't have been under the cosh for the first half hour anyway.
Marshall should take serious flak for his actions and possibly (but only possibly) the result, but we weren't even in the game up until he gave them the penalty and walked. I haven't seen any of the game yet, but from what I listened to, we were piss poor at passing the ball against a more enthusiastic if less talented set of players that first half. We were lucky to go in all square through the Fabio penalty shout. After the break, it was always going to be a battle with 10 men and we did battle. Whilst Marshall through his petulence was probably the instument of the eventual defeat, I'm still convinced that Slade was its' architect. I'm not having a go at him for the sake of it when an easy target presents itself through defeat, it's an honest gut feeling about the situation. There is still something missing at the club this year and not just the owner nor the home crowd that been talked about - it's a match winning player or two and also in my opinion league winning management. The overall improved performances so far this season makes us a mid table setup at best and the only reason we'll finish any higher is that several teams thought to be top half contenders will prove to be worse. The September games were supposed to be far easier options than the August fixtures, but a home defeat by Hull (and I don't give a **** how "well" we played - we bloody lost it!) and now an away defeat to the bottom club is a rude awakening to the realities of the division. Unless other teams lie down and let us walk over them, we are not good enough to get out of it.
I never expected to go to Rotherham and dominate them though. So few sides in this division win comfortably or easily on a regular basis. We'd got through them coming out all guns blazing, we were starting to get a foot hold and then Marshall gave the game away. You can question the decision to try and hold 1-1 but we were very close to achieving that. We didn't and like you say about Hull we lost, it apparently proves Slade isn't good enough and the chance to ignore a decent solid, promising start is there for everyone who's already made their mind up about him. 2 defeats in a week is very disappointing but you can thank our captain and no one else for the second one IMO. I'll respect but disagree with you and banana blaming Slade.
No probs Stevo - it's all about how individual supporters perceive the whole club thing and what needs to be done to improve it. Despite what you say about people already making up their minds about Slade, nothing is proven at all yet. Slade himself has gone on record and said he wouldn't even look at the table until we had a dozen games under our belt. Perhaps we had all better do that instead of drooling over being in the top 6 after the first half dozen. This is a hard league and a good August will only count if it's followed by a good next 8 months. The start of September has proved that.
I agree it's far too early to make any accurate judgement on what we can/will achieve. Slade is certainly right about it taking 12 games to see a realistic table. Something else he was surely right about is it should have been a free kick to us not a pen. He had no issue with Marshall being sent off for the retaliation but was adamant the first offence was the pull that caused it. Haven't seen it mentioned but surely he/we have a case. It matters little now but it ends a pretty ****ing shocking week ref wise for us.
Just posted on Wil's thread about the ridiculous sending off. The ref has made a complete error. That is 2 terrible refs we have had in 2 games. What is more galling though was the effort made by 10 men to keep onto a pot robbed by a complete fluke in last seconds. Wasn't it about this time last season City were rocked at Wolves by a Hudson last second og as well? Another concern in hindsight was that even at 0-0 versus the bottom team, with None & Ameobi assumedly on to to blow Rotherham away, City didn't threaten at all.
Neither Noone or Ameobi justified their inclusion in the starting line up and I fully expect a return for Pilks and KWJ next time out. Very bad week 'luckwise' hopefully these things will even themselves out at some point..............
